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My little one, now 12, was 7 yrs when rushed into emergency brain surgery. She had a brain bleed, caused by anchariid cyst that is not operative. She now has frequent seizures and is on a great deal of medication.

Though she bright and has an amazing vocabulary, she can't get past math and other educational necessities. She is in a special ed school, and has been held back a year, and may not pass this year either.

I am looking for suggestions to help her. She is good with reading and writing, and is a talented writer and artist. But when she draws a blank on other issues, and she gets depressed struggling.

That's really tough. Brains are plastic especially when young and can usually compensate for injuries but not always. The meds might be making concentration difficult so that should be looked into. But as someone who is on less than satisfactory meds I can relate when they tell you, there are no other options.

Back to the school thing, have you heard of teaching methods using Multiple Intelligences?

Summary
In summary, integrate educational theories, teaching strategies, and other
pedagogic tools in meaningful and useful ways to better address the needs of
students. Gardner himself asserts that educators should not follow one specific
theory or educational innovation when designing instruction but instead employ
customized goals and values appropriate to their teaching and student needs.
Addressing the multiple intelligences and potential of students can help
instructors personalize their instruction and methods of assessment.

The paper has useful examples.

Remember either being very good or very bad at word problems? I was great at math, logic and so on but absolutely terrible at word problems. Perhaps your granddaughter can learn math when it is presented via a different basis.

But also, remember one can excel in some areas and not in others and that's OK.

That's really tough. Brains are plastic especially when young and can usually compensate for injuries but not always. The meds might be making concentration difficult so that should be looked into. But as someone who is on less than satisfactory meds I can relate when they tell you, there are no other options.

Back to the school thing, have you heard of teaching methods using Multiple Intelligences?

Remember either being very good or very bad at word problems? I was great at math, logic and so on but absolutely terrible at word problems. Perhaps your granddaughter can learn math when it is presented via a different basis.

But also, remember one can excel in some areas and not in others and that's OK.

Thanks for this, it is helpful. She has some interesting things she has learned about, and is a type of animal expert, and can talk endlessly about them regardless of species. Also, her vocabulary is almost as good as most adults. Actually better then some!

Thanks for this, it is helpful. She has some interesting things she has learned about, and is a type of animal expert, and can talk endlessly about them regardless of species. Also, her vocabulary is almost as good as most adults. Actually better then some!

If you show her this thread, try to convince her that this was a joke.

More seriously, trust her parents to figure something out that will work and let them know that you will support them with whatever path they choose. Her parents are likely very stressed about getting this right and the last thing they need to deal with is second guessing by well-meaning relatives. It is a balance my mother failed at miserably and my m-i-law hit perfectly. So, I've seen it in action, but I doubt I could tell you how to pull it off. I imagine it has more to do with listening than anything else.

Thanks for this, it is helpful. She has some interesting things she has learned about, and is a type of animal expert, and can talk endlessly about them regardless of species. Also, her vocabulary is almost as good as most adults. Actually better then some!

My apologies. Somehow I missed that you were the grandparent, and not the parent. In this case, I assume the parents are already consulting with all the experts they can. My advice to you is therefore:

Support the parents. Find out what they need. Look for ways to make their lives easier, to smooth the way for them. If they need financial aid, or someone to prepare meals from time to time, or a babysitter, or a chance to retreat and rest and recharge their batteries. Whatever it is that you can do to help them, so that they are better able to help their child, that's what you should do.

[quote=theprestige;12608035]My apologies. Somehow I missed that you were the grandparent, and not the parent. In this case, I assume the parents are already consulting with all the experts they can. My advice to you is therefore:

Support the parents. Find out what they need. Look for ways to make their lives easier, to smooth the way for them. If they need financial aid, or someone to prepare meals from time to time, or a babysitter, or a chance to retreat and rest and recharge their batteries. Whatever it is that you can do to help them, so that they are better able to help their child, that's what you should do.

That's my advice, anyway.[/QUOTE

And thanks for your advise. Her parents do have competent specialists working on her many health issues. My son has an excellent job and luckily they are in a stable financial position.

They lost one child who died in my sons arms after 40 minutes. Mom also had 2 late-term miscarriages. They now have 3 girls, age 4, 10, and Zaira is 12. It is the stress that is intense. I make sure they know I am willing to help, 24/7, forever.

As I re-read my post it seems a bit preachy. Almost like I was telling you to "stay in your lane, bro." Sorry about that. Not my intention.

The flood of advice is sometimes awesome, but often overwhelming and distracting. I would hate for you to take advice from here back to your kid and have that sour your relationship in any way. Even if it is great advice, it doesn't help if they don't need it or if it isn't received well. Knowing that you are really there for them is so much more important. And it sounds like you've got that covered.

It reminds of the trite advice from that stupid book Men are from Mars: just because someone brings you a problem does not mean that you have to solve it. Sometimes they just want you to show some empathy and understanding for what they are going through. There, that should save all the newlywed husbands $14.99.

Though she bright and has an amazing vocabulary, she can't get past math and other educational necessities. She is in a special ed school, and has been held back a year, and may not pass this year either.

Our philosophy is play to their strengths.

One of the greatest hypocrisies in schools is making everyone be the same, while simultaneously claiming everyone should develop as an individual.

[quote=AlaskaBushPilot;12610940]Our philosophy is play to their strengths.

One of the greatest hypocrisies in schools is making everyone be the same, while simultaneously claiming everyone should develop as an individual.[/QUOTE

Thanks ABP. Playing to her strengths is, I guess, what I strive for. I have never known anyone that knew such complex scientific information about animals as she does. Her ability at creative writing is so impressive.

We know there are things she will never be able to do, like drive, live alone, and she is so limited in physical activity. However, I see no reason that she can't still have an enjoyable, rich life.

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